CARTHAGE, TX (05/21/2016) — A Saturday morning accident killed four members of the Avelar family and left three others injured.
According to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, 46-year-old Israel Avelar, and his three sons, 17-year-old Kevin Avelar, 14-year-old Daniel Avelar, and 6-year-old Matthew Avelar, were killed an accident that occurred along Highway 315 in Carthage, Texas.
Authorities reported that at around 10:15 a.m., the Avelar family—from Lexington, Kentucky—was traveling in a blue GMC Savana van, when it slowed down for a vehicle turning into a residence off highway 315 near Deer Crest Drive. The Avelar’s van was then rear-ended by a maroon Chevrolet Tahoe, which pushed the vehicle into the path of a southbound 18-wheeler truck.
“When I got on scene what I initially saw was quite a mess of an accident; probably the worst I’ve ever seen, several fatalities and several people injured and a lot of the vehicles that were involved you couldn’t even really make out what kind of vehicles they were before the accident happened,” Blake Holland, a reporter from KGAS, told WKYT.
The wreck also injured Avelar’s 41-year-old wife Hilda Avelar, his 11-year-old daughter Kimberly Avelar, and his mother, Lazara Abaraca. They have been transported to nearby area hospitals for treatment.
Commentary
As police continue their investigation, we can only offer our condolences to those affected by this tragic accident. We suspect that the driver who set this wreck in motion might face charges for this incident, however, this is ultimately up to the police. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
